Apparatus for producing combustion



Oct. 16, 1934. I s, MEIKLE APPARATUS FOR rnonucmo couausnou Original Filed July '7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. 'eor e 5154 18y fiZsiZf/d Arromz-z s.

Oct. 16, 1934- a. s. MEIKLE APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COMBUSTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ori inal Filed July 7, 192a m m m Gearqe 5iarrley Mez'ilc. Ji w Arronivzvs.

Patented Oct. 16, 1934 George s ns Meikle, wauameae, Ind. Original application July 7, 1928, Serial No.

Divided and this application January 1 1934, Serial No. 706,456 I 11 Claims. (cl. rac -'11) I,

Thisinvention relates to a method and apparatus for effecting combustion of liquid fuels.

More particularly, this invention relates to apparatus for effecting the combustion of liquid hydrocarbons in the combustion chamber of ordinary domestic furnaces.

The object of the invention is to provide suitable steps in a process of improved combustion of liquid hydrocarbon fuels and suitable apparatus for performing the same, which results in combustion of relatively high efficiency, gives a bluish flame and is substantially smokeless.

Other objects of the inventionwill in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter The invention, accordingly comprises the several steps and the relation and order of one or more of such steps with respect to each ofthe others, and the apparatus embodying'features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which' are adapted to effect such steps, all as exemplified inthe following detailed disclosures, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the'claims. This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 291,032, filed-July 7, 1928. For a fuller-understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be hadto the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views. I Fig. 1 is'a fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in vertical elevation, showinga burner installed in a domestic furnace for the practice of the invention. e

Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevational view showing in detail the top or breaker member shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view, partly broken away, showing in side elevation the breaker structure which isemployed in connection with the burner structure in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view, of the breaker shown in Fig. 2, parts being broken away. Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1, 10 denotes a water-leg of an ordinary domestic furnace which extends downwardly to form one wall of the combustion chamber. The water-leg is supported on a base 11 which may comprise, as here shown. the ash pit of the furnace. A burner structure, shown generally'at 12, extends upwardly into the combustion chamher from the ash pit and has a base member 13 which is of a height suflicient to project slightlyabove a layer of refractory material 14 that is disposed snugly between the burner structure and the water-leg to form a hearth for the cor busti'on chamber. This hearth is preferably fitted between the water-leg of the furnace and the base of the burner, in an air-tight manner,

' so as completely to close off the admission of any air other than that which is admitted through the burner structure. The base of the burner is shown supported on suitable uprights or legs 15 which rest on the floor or: bottom of the ash bit. The burner structure here shown is adapted for burning liquid hydrocarbon fuels, and to this end has disposed in its base a nozzle or cup 16 which rotates about a vertical axis and has one or more downwardly extending tubes 1'7, hereinafter referred to as pick tubes. The lower ends of these tubes extend into a fuel containing chamber or reservoir 18 supported in the base of the burner structure. The nozzle or cup 16 has one or more orifices '19 disposed in its bottom wall for the purpose of admittingair when the cup is in motion. The openings 19 communicate with asecond chamber 20, shown as formed in the base of the burner structure above the fuel chamber 18, and serving as an air supply chamber. This chamber, has'an annular'gate member 21 which may be rotated or adjusted vertically to adjust the size of the air-admitting openings formed circumferentially about the lower part of the chamber. The air thus admitted to the chamber 20 entersdirectly from the ash pit and may either enter the'bur'ner cup'through the openings 19, or it may pass up over the outside of the nozzle and enter the combustion chamber as hereinafter explained.

The cup 16is mounted for rotation on the vertical shaft 22 which turns in suitable bearings 23 provided in the base of the burner structure. This shaft has a flexible coupling shown at 24 for mechanically connecting the same to be driven by a motor 25' that is rigidly supported in any convenient location, for example adjacent to the member 26, which holds thelow'er ends of legs 15 against relative movement.

' A burner head structure 30 adapted for supplyinga great volume of combustible is shown in Fig.2. In the construction here shown, the burner cup 16'has pick tubes 17 cutoil in horizontal planes a short distance above the base of the cup and has tubing 41 connected thereto leading radially outward through slots 42 cut in the edge of the cup 16.' The breaker head comprises a pair of nested breaker members 43 and 44, the member 43 being a large outside one, whereas the member 44 is smaller and has its ture projected from the burner.

depending flange portion disposed within that of the breaker 43. The blading for these breakers is shown respectively at 45 and 46. This blading is preferably disposed entirely about the circumference of the breaker, as indicated in Fig. 3. The manner in which this blading is provided is shown more clearly in Fig. 4 where it is seen that a blade member 47 is shown as a bent-back wing, cut from a rectangular opening 48, formed in the depending flange of the breaker. The tubing 41 is seen to pass through the blading 46 extending adjacent the blading 45. This tubing is preferably flattened so as to have a relatively elongated outer end which may be disposed diagonally across the space of one of the breaker blades which is removed or omitted for this purpose, thus providing a widened gap opposite the discharge end of the tube. In this manner the stream of fuel lifted by a pick tube issues as a relativelyflat stream or jet, which, by reason of the diagonal disposition of the end of the tube across the blade structure, as shown in Fig. 3, readily breaks vertically distributing itself in a plurality of horizontal planes. While the burner cup or nozzle, shown in Fig. 2, has air openings as shown at 19, the air which passes through these openings is not mixed within the cup with the hydrocarbon fuel. The air which is thus drawn into the cup, passes on to be mixed with the fuel over the hearth in the combustion cham her; this blading being extended entirely about the circumference of the breaker is adapted to set in motion a large amount of air. The liquid fuel lifting means is also adapted to lifta corresponding large amount of fuel. As this hydrocarbon stream or jet, issuing from the tubing 41,

passes through the space or gap between a pair of the outer breakers, it is seen to become atom ized to provide the combustible mixture desired.

The breakers, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, have a'countersunk central portion 33 that is provided with a plurality of perforations 34 disposed opposite the openings in flange 31. The breakers thus constructed, perform a three-fold function, namely, first, that of.cooperating with the burner nozzle to efl'ect substantially complete atomization of the hydrocarbon fuel projected from the burner nozzle; second, that of redistributing the combustible mixture projected from the burner nozzle in a plurality of horizontal and vertical radial planes instead of in a single sheet; and third, that of entraining air and other gases which are admixed with the combustible mix- The air thus entrained is drawn up from the ash pit through the opening controlled by the gate 21 in the.

base of the burner, whereas the gas entrained comprises productsof combustion drawn downwardly over the center of the breaker and projected both over the outside of the breaker into the horizontally moving stream of combustibles, and through the openings 34. The nature of the entraining action will be readily understood when it is noted that the baflle blading 32 operates substantially like the blading of a turbine pump...

'The combustible mixture projectedin'streams or jets from the edge of the breaker, when rotating passes over the hearth 14 and entrains products of combustion from above and air from below. The fuel streams pass over the hearth until they meet the refractory baflie structure 35 disposed about the periphery of the hearth against the water-leg of the furnace. This bailie structure is seen to comprise stepped bodies separated by vertical slots or grooves disposed generally vertically. These slots need not extend clear through the baiile structure to the furnace wall, but may extend only part way, for example, extend sufliciently for the slot to have an inclined base, as indicated at 36. This baliie structure is disposed to function in a three-fold manner, namely, to deflect the impinging gases upwardly; to retard the gases in their course upon impingement; and tostore heat.

The mode of operation of the apparatus above described is as follows:

Liquid hydrocarbon fuel is supplied to the oil reservoir 18 in the manner set forth in Letters Patent No. 1,624,350 granted April 12, 1927 to Meikle, et al., from which reservoir a spray is lifted by means of the pick tubes 17. To this end the tubes are set to lift liquid fuel from the reservoir when at the normal liquid level within the reservoir. when the tip is moving, it entrains air, so that a resultant mixture of air and fuel globules passes upwardly through the pick tubes, and thence through the tubing 41 to the point of discharge adjacent the periphery of the fan.

The combustible mixture thus projected outwardly from the fan also entrains gas from the column above the rotating head, which is recirculated with the mixture, heating the same and increasing the efficiency but retarding the rate of combustion.

When the burner is started, the combustible is initially projected toward the periphery of the about the periphery of the hearth and a substantially cylindrical flame results.

The hearth 14, when combustion has been formally initiated, becomes heated to a relatively high temperature and has high heat storage capacity, so that it radiates heat upwardly into the combustible mixture. The multi-layer combustible mixture passing over the hearth absorbs much heat which effects the rapid vaporization of fuel globules in the several streams and planes issuing from the breaker. The relatively intense heat of this zone also effects a cracking or reduction to simpler hydrocarbons of the higher hydrocarbons in the fuel so that the combustible mixture by the time it reaches the bafllestructure about the edge of the hearth has been substantially reduced to relatively simple gaseous hydrocarbons, which are also partially oxygenized in this heat zone. The projected mixture, when it impinges upon the baflle structure at the edge of the hearth, is retarded and bursts into a bluish flame, as combustion takes place. From this it is seen-that thefuel velocity from the edge of the breaker across the hearth 14 should be greater than the velocity of flame propagation, as it is desired at all times to keep the flame at the edge of the hearth when burning so as to impinge directly upon the walls of the furnace. The products of combustion, resulting from the flame which forms at the edge of the hearth, rise vertically upwards in the combustion chamber along the wall of the combustion chamber, some of which pass directly to the furnace exit. The

burner structure, however, when rotating operates to prevent the immediate exit of all of the products of combustion, since the motion of the breaker 30 continually operates to force outwardly the particles of gas directly above it in a radial direction, which gas becomes admixed with the combustible mixture projecting from the tubing 41. Gas thus thrown out radially from the burner is immediately replaced by gas above it, so that a constant downward suction toward the burner head when rotating is pro-'- duoed in the combustion chamber. The intimate mingling of the products of combustion with the combustible'mixture is facilitated by a proyision of the openings 34 in the breaker head, since some of the gas sucked downwardly upon the burner head passes through these openings directly into the combustible mixture. It is seen that these gases contain a large amount of belt, which, when they are thus recirculated and admixed with a combustible mixture projected from the burner, not only transfer a portion of their heat to the mixture, but also retard the rate of combustion in the combustible mixture traversing the hearth, which results in increasing the eiiiciency of the combustion accomplished by the method of the present invention. .An immediate advantage re sulting from the slowing up of the rate of combustion in the combustible mixture traversing the hearth, is the slowing up of the speed of the burner. It is thus possible to obtain combustion at the water-legs of the surface with a burner head rotating at a relatively slow annular velocity, for example a speed approximating 1760 revolutions per minute. The use of low speed burner heads is also seen to make for quietness in burner operation.

The breaker 30, operating like a turbine, is seen to draw air up'through the chamber 20 about the cup 16. This airpasses into the space traversed by the ,baflle blading 32 from whence it is projected into the streams of combustible projected from 'thaburner. The amount of air so drawn up" is of course properly proportioned to the amount of hydrocarbon fuel in the combustible mixture. This ratio however is a design constant and when'once fixed adapts the burner to a wide rangeof duties by merely varying the volume of fuel supplied to the burner. The proportions of the blading in the breaker are varied by varying the number employed or by varying their size, particularly their horizontal length.

The construction of the top member which provides the means for effecting recirculation of the products of combustion, may be embodied in a variety of constructions which effect this end satisfactorily. Thus by varying the baffle features of the breaker one can set in motion a larger or smaller body-of gas,as desired, so that it is seen that thispermits the construction of the burner to be standardized for furnaces over a wide range of different ratings and made substantially from one set, or a small number of sets of patterns, the breaker itself being the factor which is varied so as to set in motion the volume of gas desired. With the liquid fuel supplying means in the burner being readily varied so as to feed different volumes of fuel, it is seen that a burner structure of standard parts can be made to serve, by the' construction herein employed, over a wide range of rating while operating at substantially the same speed.

By reason of the intimate mixing of air, atomized fuel, and combustion gas, which is effected in the burner head when rotating, and by reason of absorption of heat from the gases during combustion that the flue gases escaping from the combustion chamber have a relatively low stack temperature, as well as contain only substantially the correct ratio of carbon dioxide gas to the neutral gases.

By the arrangement of the burner head centrally with respect to the hearth, over which the combustible mixture is projected, a circulation of the products of combustion is effected within the combustion chamber which also contributes to the efliciency of the present process of combustion. It is seen that the column of gas standing directly over the burner head has its lower end agitated by the rotation of the burner head and in consequence has its particles thrown radially outward from points above the rim of the head. This action creates a downward suction in the gas column over the center of the burner head, with a radial movement outwardly over and into the multi-jet mixture, which moving body of gas again moves upwardly adjacent the flame on the water-leg and, after rising therewith a certain distance, is again drawn toward the center and downwardly by the suction of the central column of gas. This motion of the gas may be briefly termed a vortex motion; it results in continuous internal circulation of heated products of combustion. Such circulation in turn results in evening the temperature of the burner head with that of the furnace gases and in enveloping the jets of combustible mixture projected from the burner on both sides by heating agents; on their lower side they are adjacent the hearth, while their upper side is covered by the circulating body of gas. The circulating body of gas serves to protect the burner, and to some extent diffuses with the jets of combustible mixture, and while at a relatively high temperature, by reason of its'passage through the zone of the intense radiated heat adjacent to the flame, yet assistsin preventing ignition until the water-leg is reached. This diffusion results in applying some of the remnant heat in the products of combustion, carried away from the flame on the walls of the water-leg to the initial heating and acceleration of the partial oxygenation of the jets of combustible mixture.

The breaker head thus constructed of nested breaker members is also provided with means for recirculating a portion of the products of combustion with the combustible mixture, which means may take any of the forms above described; for example, the openings shown at 34 cut through the partition wall about the depressed central portion of the breaker members.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have invented a novel apparatus for producing combustion of a hydrocarbon fuel, such as fuel oil or the like, and I have herein disclosed a preferred embodiment thereof. As disclosed, said embodiment preferably comprises in general an oil burner having a motor driven rotatable head to which fuel is delivered by any desired means I and is thereafter carried to the combustion chamber through a fuel distributor tube or tubes As a consequence ejected from the end of such tube or tubes as a jet or stream. The jet orstream of fuel passes into the combustion chamber substantially free from impact with the fan blades due to the preferred construction, herein disclosed byway of example, in which theend or ends of the fuel distributor tube or tubes terminate at a point or points adjacent the fan blades and preferably inaposition to discharge the jet or stream of fuel outwardly through a space between the peripherally disposed fan blades.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. An oil burner including a motor, a distributing head connected 1 therewith for rotation thereby and including a rotatable cup, a circular fan disposed above said cup, a series of blades extending about the periphery of said fan, a fuel distributor tube extending from said cup and projecting between a pair of said blades, the said distributor tube being adapted to rotate with said fan and having an end terminating adjacent the,

outer edges of the bladesof said fan.

2. In an oil burner a motor driven rotatable head having fuel distributor tubes, and a fan surmounting the head and having a plurality of blades extending around the periphery thereof, the discharge ends of the tubes terminating adjacent to but short of the outer edges of the blades, each tube adapted to direct a jet or stream of fuel through the space between a pair of blades and beyond their outer edges.

3. In an oil burner a motor driven rotatable head having fuel distributor tubes, and a fan sur- -mounting the head and having a plurality of blades extending around the periphery thereof, the discharge'ends of the tubes terminating adjacent to but short of the outer, edges of the blades to direct a jet or streamof fuel from each tube through the space between a pair of blades and. beyond their outer edges, said pair of blades being spaced circumferentially a greater distance than an adjacent pair of blades.

4. In an oil burner a motor driven rotatable head having outwardly and radially projecting fuel distributor tubes, and a fan surmounting the head and having a series of blades extending around the periphery thereof, the outer discharge ends of the tubes terminating adjacent to but short of the outer edges of the blades, each tube in operation directing. a jet or stream of fuel through the space between a pair of blades and beyond their outer edges, the space between said pair of blades opposite the discharge end of each tube being circumferentially greater than the spacing of adjacent blades and the peripherally disposed blades being otherwise substantially equally spaced.

5. In an oil burner, a motor driven rotatable head, fuel distributor tubes projecting outwardly from the head, and a fan surmounting the head and having a peripherally disposed plurality of fan blades substantially vertically intersecting the horizontal plane of the discharge ends of the tubes, the outer discharge end of each tube terminating proximate to said blades so as to direct a jet of fuel outwardly and laterally through the space between a pair of blades substantially free of blade impact. 1

6. In an oil burner, a motor driven rotatable head, fuel distributor tubes projecting outwardly from the head, and afan surmounting the head and having a peripherally disposed series of fan blades substantially vertically intersecting the horizontal plane of the discharge ends'of the tubes, the outer discharge end of each tube terminating proximate to said blades so as to direct a jet of fuel outwardly and free of blade impact, the space between said pair of blades being greater than the spacing of adjacent blades.

7. In an oil burner, a motor driven rotatable head having fuel distributor tubes, and a fan surmounting the head and having a turned peripheral edge portion carrying a plurality of fan blades, said peripheral edge portion having a plurality of openings extending therethrough at points adjacent said fan blades, the discharge ends of said fuel distributor tubes terminating adjacent an opening in said peripheral edge portion for discharging a stream of fuel through said opening substantially free from blade impact.

8. In an oil burner, a motor driven rotatable head having fuel distributor tubes, and a fan surmounting the head and having a turned peripheral edge portion carrying a plurality of fan blades, said peripheral edge portion having a plurality of openings extending therethrough at points adjacent said fan blades, the discharge ends of said fuel distributor tubes terminating adjacent openings in said peripheral edge portion between a pair of said blades spaced circumferentially a greater distance than an adjacent pair of blades for discharging streams of fuel through said openings substantially free from blade impact.

9. In an oil burner having a motor driven rotatable head, fuel distributor tubes projecting outwardly from the head, and a fan surmounting the head and having a turned peripheral edge portion pierced to form a plurality of peripherally disposed fan blades therefrom, said fan blades intersecting the horizontal plane of the discharge ends of the tubes on a substantially vertical line,

the outer discharge end of each tube terminating proximate to said blades so as to eject a jet of fuel outwardly therethrough and substantially free of blade impact.

10..An oil burner including a motor, a rotatable distributing head connected therewith for rotation thereby and including a rotatable cup, a fuelfeeding tube, a circular fan mounted for rotation with said cup, the said fan being provided with a plurality of blades extending around the periphery thereof, a fuel distributor tube having a discharge end extending between adjacent blades and terminating short of the outer edges thereof for conveying fuel from said fuel feeding tube to a point adjacent the peripheryof said fan whereby a stream of fuel is projected outwardly through the space between adjacent blades of the fan and substantially free of impact therewith.

11. An oil burnerincluding a motor, a 'rotatable distributing head connected therewith for rotation thereby and including a rotatable cup, 2. fuel feeding tube, a circular fan mounted for rotation with said cup, the said fan being provided with a series of blades extending around the periphery thereof, fuel distributor tubes having discharge ends extending between adjacent blades of said fan and terminating short of the outer edges thereof for conveying fuel from said fuel feeding tube to a point adjacent the periphery of said fan whereby a stream of f1.e1 is projected outwardly through the space between a pair of blades on lines tangential to the periphery of said fan.

GEORGE STANLEY MEIKLE.

D l s c: L A l M E R 1,977,521.Ge0rge Stanley Meilcle, West La Fayette, Ind. APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COMBUSTION. 1940, by the inventor. Hereb flicial Gazette July 30, 1.940]

Patent dated October 16, 1934.

Disclaimer filed July 2,

enters this disclaimer to claims 7 and 8.

able distributing head connected therewith for rotation thereby and including a rotatable cup, 2. fuel feeding tube, a circular fan mounted for rotation with said cup, the said fan being provided with a series of blades extending around the periphery thereof, fuel distributor tubes having discharge ends extending between adjacent blades of said fan and terminating short of the outer edges thereof for conveying fuel from said fuel feeding tube to a point adjacent the periphery of said fan whereby a stream of f1.e1 is projected outwardly through the space between a pair of blades on lines tangential to the periphery of said fan.

GEORGE STANLEY MEIKLE.

D l s c: L A l M E R 1,977,521.Ge0rge Stanley Meilcle, West La Fayette, Ind. APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COMBUSTION. 1940, by the inventor. Hereb flicial Gazette July 30, 1.940]

Patent dated October 16, 1934.

Disclaimer filed July 2,

enters this disclaimer to claims 7 and 8. 

